Many psychology experiments that try to change implicit bias treat it as something like blood pressure—a condition that can be adjusted, not a behavior to be overcome. The Madison approach aims to make unconscious patterns conscious and intentional. “The problem is big. It’s going to require a variety of different strategies,” Devine says. “But if people can address it within themselves, then I think it's a start. If those individuals become part of institutions, they may carry messages forward.”
The STEM work suggests this approach at least can have an impact on discrimination against women. What the team has not yet determined is whether the race-focused interventions have an impact on the experiences of people of color. That question is a current priority. “If we’re just making white people feel better,” Devine says, “who cares?”
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